Refrigeration apparatus



Nov'. 7, 1933. L. RoEBr-:L

REFRIGERATION APPARATUS Filed Nov. 1, 1930 Fig/I IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII Patented Nov. 7, 1933 1,934,147 nEFmGERA'rIoN APPARATUS Ludwig neebel, Mannheim, Germany Appueetien November 1, 1939, serial No. 492,694, and in Germany December 5, 1929 9 Claims. (Cl. 62-115) My invention relates to improvements in refrigeration apparatus.

In the attempt to build reciprocating piston compressors which form a constituent part of a refrigerator in which compressors there is no necessity to render the piston or the crank shaft tight to the outside, different methods of construction have been developed which utilize the centrifugal force acting on the piston as the driving force. It is well known that the centrifugal force is evolved by giving the compressor cylinders a rotation about two axes of which one is outside the cylinders and the other passes through the central position of the pistons. Thus, the individual cylinders being subjected to a rotation about their own axes, the centrifugal force set up is caused to act on the pistons alternately in each direction.

One embodiment of my invention differs from the various constructions already known in that the centrifugal force does not set the compressor pistons or compressor cylinders in motion, but 'serves to prevent a part of the machine from rotating which is inside the double rotating system and which is provided with a special centrifugal weight for this purpose. In this embodiment, a hollow shaft and an eccentric fixed to this shaft are prevented from rotating about the shaft axis, but a compressor piston or a compressor cylinder attached to the eccentric strap is rotated about this axis and thereby given a reciprocating movement.

My invention resides in the improved apparatus and method of operation of the character hereinafter described and claimed.

For the purpose of illustrating my invention, anembodiment thereof is shown in the drawing, wherein Figure 1 is an elevational view, partly in section, of refrigerating apparatus constructed and operated in accordance with my invention; and v Fig. 2 is a fragmentary, sectional view, illustrating a modification.

In Fig.' 1, supporting structure 1 is built inthe' form of a disc and casing, and rotates about the shaft2 atuniformspeed. Inthecasingofthis supporting structure are connected one or more units'ireferred to hereinafter as refrigeratorsl' which consist chiefly of the compressor housing 3, the piston 4, the cylinder 5, the *tube 6, the atomizing jet 'I and the vaporizer chamber 8, and which rotate independently about the shaft 2. Each refrigerator however rotates, as well, about its axis 9, this motion being imparted to it bymeansofasearwheel 10,1Ihichenn8eswith the stationary pinion 11. 12 is an eccentric fixed on the hollow shaft 13, which shaft, in accordance with the invention, is prevented from revolving about its own axis by a centrifugal weight 14 which is also xed to it. The tube 13, 60 for this purpose, is rotatable with respect to the housing 3. The compressorpiston 4 is attached to the eccentric strap 15 and receives thereby a continuous reciprocating motion. The compressor cylinder 5 is built in one piece with the hous- 65. ing 3 and therefore continuously revolves with the said housing.

Fig. 2 shows a reversal of the arrangement shown in Fig. 1, and illustrates the case in which the compressor cylinder 5 is xed to the eccen- 70 tric strap 15 and reciprocates, while the compressor piston 4 is 'built in one piece with the housing 3 and therefore continuously revolves with the said' housing'.

The refrigerant, in both cases, drains continuously from the evaporating chamber through the passage 16, and is then compressed and forced past the flap valve 1'( into the inside of the housing 3, from whence it regains the evaporating chamber by means of the opening 18, the tube 6 and the atomizing nozzle 7.

The invention claimed is:

1. In refrigeration apparatus, structure sealed at all points over its outer surface againstingressof fluid to or egress of fluid from its interior, means for compressing a refrigerant, a portion of said structure containing and providing a-compression chamber for said compressing means, another portion of said structure constituting an evaporating chamber, said structure provided with a passage for admitting the compressed refrigerant from the compression chamber to the evaporating chamber, said structure provided with a passagefor permitting return of .the refrigerant from the evaporating chamber back to said compressing means, means supporting said structure for rotation about a given axis and for revolution bodily about another axis, and eccentric means for effecting compressing action of said compressing means and operable for such purpose incident to such rotation and revolution of said structure.

2. Refrigeration apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized further by the fact 4that said compressing means includes a cylinder member and a piston member, one of said members being disposed at and carried by the wall structure of said compression chamber.

3. In refrigeration apparatus, a self-contained rdriaerating unit comprising a compressor secno tion and an evaporating` section, means comprising a cylinder member and a piston member for compressing a refrigerant, one of said members being disposed at and carried by the wall structure of said compressor section, and means supporting said unit for rotation about a given axis and for revolution bodily about another axis.

4. In refrigeration apparatus, a refrigerating unit supported with its longitudinal axis substantially vertical and for rotation about said axis, said unit comprising a compressor section and an evaporating section disposed above said compressor section, said unit provided with a closed path which the refrigerant follows during the refrigerating action, means supporting said unit for revolution bodily about an axis spaced from and substantially parallel to said first-named axis, and means including an eccentric for effecting compression of the refrigerant incident to such rotation and revolution of said unit.

5. In refrigeration apparatus, structure provided with a compressor chamber and an evaporating chamber, a tubular member supported for relative rotary movement with respect to said structure, a second tubular member smaller than and disposed within said first-named member and providing a passage for admitting compressed refrigerant from said compression chamber to said evaporating chamber, the space between said members providing a passage for the return of the refrigerant from said evaporating chamber to said compressor chamber, means supporting said structure for rotation about the axis of said first-named member and for revolution bodily about an axis spaced from and substantially parallel to said first-named axis, and means for preventing rotation of said firstnamed member' about said first-named axis during operation of said apparatus.

6. In refrigeration apparatus, a refrigeratng unit, means supporting said unit for rotation about a given axis and for simultaneous revolution bodily about another axis to develop a force centrifugal 'with respect to the axis of revolution, and an element forming part of said unit and disposed about the axis of rotation and held against rotation about the same by the centrifugal force.

7. In refrigeration apparatus, structure provided with a compressor section and an evaporating section, refrigerant-compression means disposed within said compressor section and comprising a piston member and a cylinder member, a tubular element disposed within said compressor section and rotatable with respect to said structure, an eccentric fixed on said tubular element, an eccentric strap disposed about said eccentric, one of said members being fixed to said strap, and means supporting said structure for rotation about a given axis and for simultaneous revolution bodily about another axis.

8. In refrigeration apparatus, supporting structure supported for rotation about a given axis and comprising a casing section and portions spaced from said section along said axis, independently operable refrigerating units supported by said structure for rotation respectively about axes spaced from the axis about which said structure rotates; each of said units comprising a compressor section disposed betweensaid casing section and said portions, an evaporating section disposed Within said casing section, a rotatable hollow shaft disposed Within said compressor section and providing a passage for refrigerant between said chambers, refrigerant-compression means disposed Within said compressor section and comprising a piston member and a cylinder member, an eccentric fixed on said shaft, an eccentric strap disposed about said eccentric, one of said members xed to sid strap, and means preventing rotation of said shaft about its own axis upon rotation of the unit, said means comprising a weight xed on said shaft.

9. In refrigeration apparatus, structure supported for movement to develop a centrifugal force, a piston member and a cylinder member and an eccentric member effective jointly to compress a refrigerant, certain of said members being arranged for control thereof by the centrifugal force developed.

LUDWIG ROEBEL. 

